Process of making yarn



Jan. 6, 1959 Rjcg WI IE 2,867,077

PROCESS OF MAKING YARN Filed Dec. 21, 1954 IN VE N TOR R B R ILK/E BATTORNEY United States Patent PROCESS OF MAKING YARN Robert C. Wilkie,Andover, Mass., assignor to Pacific Mills, Lawrence, Mass., acorporation of Massachusetts Application December 21, 1954, Serial N 0.476,643 Claims. (Cl. 57-157) This invention relates to a completeprocess of making yarn, either of all natural fiber or all syntheticfiber, or of blended combinations of natural and synthetic fiber.

The present trends in the textile industry require a system of makingyarns that is simple, flexible and reducible to a minimum number ofmachines and processes and capable of producing quality yarns of anyconceivable combination of fibers.

The present invention is the result of a long range development tocreate such a universal system. The system is composed of elements orindividual processes some of which may be introduced into existingsystems and certain advantages gained, but the optimum results arerealized only in the correct combination of the several components.

The main object of this invention is to provide an economical system ofproducing first quality yarns composed of natural and/or syntheticfibers of all kinds, and varying combinations of the same. Anotherobject is to provide a process that involves a minimum number ofoperating steps as compared with conventional methods.

An additional object is to provide a system wherein only one weight ofroving is used to make a wide range of yarn sizes.

The drawing represents a diagrammatic flow sheet of the process of theinvention, without showing the details of steps involved, or a scalelayout.

In the drawing, 1, and 13 represent respectively a type of card used forW001, a Pacific Converter, Patent No. 2,438,469, and a type of card usedfor cotton. Preparation of the fibers to be supplied to these machinesmay be carried out according to conventional practice.

In the manufacture of yarns on the so-called worsted system, preferablythe fiber, e. g., wool or man-made fibers, passes through the card 1into a sliver can 2 of the type described in my prior Patents Nos.2,478,960 and 2,598,738, which preferably are incorporated into athree-can self-dofiing type of coiler of the type disclosed in theco-pending application of George Forsythe and Harold W. Russell filedMay 31, 1952, Serial No. 291,- 016, now Patent No. 2,736,071 datedFebruary 28, 1956. From the cans 2, the sliver goes to the backwasher 3,gill 4, gill 5, punch baller 6, comb 7 (of the Noble type) and gill 8.The gills 4 and 5 and comb 7 deliver the sliver to suitable cans orcollecting means such as that of Patent No. 2,478,960 or Patent No.2,598,738, as described above.

The collecting means, namely that of Patent No. 2,478,960, or Patent No.2,598,738, is an important but not an essential part of the system.Besides the advantage of putting a very large number of yards in a can,the use of this collecting means makes it possible to produce aself-sustaining package of coiled sliver which is removable from thecan. Thus only two cans are needed per gill head or coiler head and nomore cans for transportation, storing -or creeling in subsequentoperations. The packages of sliver are removed from the can by 2,867,077Patented Jan. 6, 1959 an electric hoist, and in the hoist cable a scaleis incorporated for weighing the package while it is suspended asindicated at 9. Operation 9 is not the conventional weigh box whereseveral packages are put together to produce a required average weight.In my method, each package is weighed, and those which vary more thanabout 5% from a standard weight are removed to be reprocessed. I prefer,however, to hold the weight to within a tolerance of about :1.6%. Forone particular specification, for example, in a gross weight of 48pounds, the packages are held to a tolerance of 1.75 pound or 1.56%. Ifa package is not within these limits, it is removed to be reprocessed towithin the required limits, and no attempt is made to balance off-weightpackages in regular production. This procedure is necessary in my systembecause the number of operationsand doublings is reduced to a minimum incontrast to the conventional system employing many thousands ofdoublings which were depended upon to cover up or correct inherentfaults in the processing. 7

The package produced by the above collecting means is accurately andsymmetrically formed from top to bottom with coils arranged around acentral hole running from top to bottom through the package. Thisphysical structure of the package provides for the proper performance ofthe compressing and setting operation 12, to

which the package moves as'shown by line N- In operawhich is roughly 60in height, is

tion 12, the package, reduced to a permanent size of 12 to 16" in heightdepending upon the immediate requirements, by apparatus and proceduredescribed in my copending application Serial No. 208,562 filed January30, 1951, now Patent No. 2,707,806 dated May 10, 1955. The compressedpackage supersedes the formerly used balled top. Although the sliverweight per unit of length is about the same as in balled top, theimportant diiference is that the package contains four to six times asmuch sliver in the same volume of space as in the conventional ball oftop. l

From the setting operation 12, the material passes along lines G, K or Oas required. The line G leads to a high draft (12 to 25:1), high speeddrawing frame 14 as disclosed in Patent No. 2,621,372 granted December6, 1952in which compressed packages totaling over 4,000 pounds may beplaced in the drawing process at one time. This high speed drawing framemay deliver as much as 485 pounds per hour (at 100% efiiciency), ascontrasted, for example, with a widely used modern drawing frame, whichat best would produce about pounds per hour (also at efiiciency).Because of the ease of transportation of these compressed packages, thedrawing frame 14 may be located'some distancefrom the packagingoperation 12.

As an alternative, the material from operation 8 may follow the line Fto the drawing operation 14 without being compressed; But then a chargeof only about 1400 pounds is delivered at a timeto the drawing framewhich, although less than in my preferred procedure, is however greaterthan the use of conventional tops would allow.

The package as it comes from the setting operation 12 is admirablysuited for large capacity dyeing or other liquid chemical treatment suchas bleaching, tracer or identification tinting and the like. ment, suchas dyeing, the material passe-s along line K to the liquid treatingoperation 16, in' which the packages are stacked on perforated hollowspindles passing through the central openings thereof and the spindlesloaded with' pumping of liquid through the packages, either from thehollow spindles or into the hollow spindles. After dyeing,

For such liquid treatthe packages move to abackwashing operation at 17,gilling at 18 and back at M, to the gilling 8 and weighing 9. It may bemore convenient to have the operations following dyeing as a separatedepartment through operation 14, but the flow of material would be thesame as for undyed material, with the possible exception of additionalgilling for color blending. This procedure entirely supersedes theconventional top dyeing techniques as now practiced,

Another advantage of the compressed and set package from operation 12 isthat the material can be placed in cartons and stored as at P or shippedas at R to distant points atgreat savings inspace and transportationcosts. In addition, the material is well protected from abuse inhandling and storing, and can be stacked to any practical height with noflattening or package distortion in the lower layers as experienced instoring top.

, The drawing device 14 is capable of reducing the sliver in onedrafting operation to a size suitable for spinning, so it is in effect aroving frame. Preferably the device 14- delivers to sliver cans 2'similar to the sliver cans 2 previously described. When so arranged, thedevice 14 delivers a plurality of ends, e. g., four ends to each of fourcans, i. e. four ends per can. The ends are not twisted, so they may beused either as single roving, with one package serving four spindles, oras double roving, with one package serving two spindles. The roving asdelivered from operation 14 is collected in the same sort of cans asafter above operation 2 or 8, except that four ends are handled togetherinstead of one. The coiled material is weighed at 19 in the same manneras at 9. The limits here are however about pound in 25, i. e. i3%. Iprefer, however, to hold the packages to within about /2 Poundin 25pounds, i. e. 12%, as by remaining within the narrower limits, both'hereand at operation 9, the uniformity of the yarn is as good as thatproduced in any prior system. Packages which do not come within thelimits are removed to be reprocessed.

The material then passes along line H to the compressing and settingprocess 12 where the 60 high package is reduced to a permanently set,compact package 12" or less in height. This package passes along line Ito the spinning rame 15. The package is in a form suitable for placingin the creel of the frame and weighs 25 pounds or more. This sizepackage is obviously a great advantage either as single roving or doubleroving, in that the end pulls freely from the top of the package andthere is avoided the tension applied to the roving as in theconventional roving where the roving package is revolved by the roving.Alternatively, the material from the weighing operation 19 may pass byline H directly to the spinning frame 15, without passing through thesetting operation 12, but of course with sacrifice of the advantages ofthis operation.

The spinning frame 15 employs the same principle of draft control as inthe draft device 14, as described in said Patent No. 2,621,372, and byusing the tandem arrangement of drafting as described therein, drafts inexcess of 600 may be achieved. An essential feature of my system is theability to make use of heretofore unusable high drafts, in bothoperations 14 and 15. Another indispensable feature in my system is thefact that the fiber control medium employed in operations 14 and 15allows for successful handling of all lengths and types of fibers,except some of the very short fibers (sometimes called shoddy) used inthe woolen system.

For a 100% vegetable fiber yarn, the material passes from the card 13through a doubling device 21, which need not employ draft, but servesthe function of buildmg up the normally light weight end from the card13 into a size suitable to be handled on the drafting device 14. Thesliver therefrom flows along line E to operation 14, preferably firstbeing collected in sliver cans 2" similar to the cans 2 described. Thenfrom operation 14, the fiber, preferably collected in sliver cans, goesto the 4 weighing operation 19 and thence to the spinning frame 15 alongline H or along line H to the compressing and setting device 12. Fromthe compressing and setting device 12 it may go to dyeing 16, storing P,shipping R or to the spinning frame 15.

Alternatively the sliver from the doubling device 21 may go directly, asindicated at E, to the compressing and setting apparatus 12. From thesetting operation the material may be processed as heretofore described.Manmade fibers, or blends of various fibers including wool, may beprocessed as just described for vegetable fibers.

For 100% synthetic yarns, the material goes through the converter 10,Patent No. 2,438,469, where the material is converted from continuousfilament to staple sliver of any desired fiber length. From there thesliver (preferably in sliver coils as heretofore described) goes to gill11 and weighing operation 20, which perform the same functions as gill 8and weighing 9. The material then goes (preferably in sliver coils asheretofore described) via line C to the drawing frame 14 to be processedas described, i. e., through weighing 19 and to spinning frame 15 or tosetting and compressing operation 12 and then to dyeing 16, storing P,shipping R, or spinning 15. As an alternative, the material may go fromthe weighing operation 20 via line B to the setting and compressingdevice 12 and thereafter follow the same route as described above.

In the production of a yarn composed of blends of any of the abovementioned fibers, the synthetic fibers are started in the form of towand are first fed to the converter 10. Any percentage of fibers may beadded from operation 2 over line A and introduced into the converterbeyond the fracturing rolls thereof as described in Patent No.2,636,222, granted April 28, 1953. If a combed sliver of animal fiber isrequired, the material is taken from operation 9 over lines F, F and A.Likewise, vegetable fibers may be taken from operation 13 over line D tothe converter, and blended with the synthetic fibers. Varyingpercentages of all types of fibers may meet at the converter 10 and thenbe further processed into yarn as described above.

Cross-dyed effects may be obtained by first blending difierent fibers bymy process, as described above, and then dyeing. Any of the variousmentioned types of fibers may be separately dyed and then blended byoperations 17, 18, 8, 14 and 12 and then formed into yarn.

To illustrate the accuracy with which a yarn may be made according to mypreferred method, assume the material from operation 8 Weights 3 ouncesper 5 yards or 10,500 grains per 40 yards. The total weight of thepackage at 9 is 48 pounds, with a tolerance of:0.75 pound, or a netweight of 43 pounds, with a tolerance of :.672 pound. Standard=43 grainsMaximum=(43+.672) (7000)=305,704 grains Minimum= (43.672) (7000)=296,296grains pounds 7000 grains/pound=30l,000

=10,500 grains/40 yards Standard sliver weight{ 22625 grains/yard 266.5grs./yd.= 10,660 grs./40 yards Minium weight:

258.3 gTs./yd.=10,332 grs./40 yards Then at operation 14:

1,778 grains/40 yards 5 Maximum weight delivered= Minimum weightdelivered= Spinning operation g 15 Using single roving for 1/24s WorstedCount Standard %=20.83 grains/40 yards= 1/24s Maximum gZ =2 1.18grains/40 yards= 1/23.6s Minimum gj =20.06 grains/40 yards=1/24.3s

If for some reason the material delivered from operation 14 shows avariation in weight per unit length, said variation is held to :05 inpounds. Standard=25 X 7000: 175,000 grains Maximum=25.5 7000=178,600grains Minimum=24.5 7000=171,400 grains 0 Standard weight delivered fromoperation 14: 1750 grs./40 yards 1,750 -100 unlts of 40 yards maximumweight= 6% Q= 1,786 grs./ yards Minimum weight= =h7 14 grs./40 yards 10040 At spinning operation 15 For standard of 1/24s Maximum= =2l3 grs./40yards 1/23.5s

84 Minimum= =20.4 grs./40 yards= 1/24.5s

It can be readily seen that by checking the Weights at two points asabove described, the yarn counts are kept well within the limits of anyknown system, regardless of the number of operations used in it, despitethe small number of operations in my system.

Whenever reference is made herein to the Pacific Converter, as describedin my Patent No. 2,438,469, it wiil be understood that the Converter mayinclude the improvements disclosed in my copending application SerialNo. 286,316, filed May 6, 1952, now Patent No. 2,706,834 dated April 26,1955.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my priorapplication Serial No. 291,043, filed May 31, 1952, now abandoned.

I claim:

1. The process of making yarn which comprises forming fibers intosliver, collecting the sliver into masses of 65 coils each arrangedaround a central opening, compressing and setting the coiled masses intopackages about 20 to 26% of their original height without substantialincrease in their diameter, reducing the sliver in one draftingoperation to the condition of untwisted substantially constant weightroving, coiling said roving in masses of coils each arranged around acentral opening with a plurality of ends in each mass, compressing andsetting the coiled masses into packages about 20% to 26% of theiroriginal height without substantial increase in their (5 diameter, andspinning said roving into yarn with a draft of about 25 to 600, asrequired to produce the yarn count desired.

2. The process of making yarn which comprises forming fibers intosliver, collecting the sliver into masses of coils each arranged arounda central opening, compressing and setting the coiled masses intopackages about 20 to 26% of their original height Without substantialincrease in their diameter, dyeing the packages, reducing the sliver inone drafting operation to the condition of untwisted substantiallyconstant weight roving, coiling said roving in masses of coils eacharranged around a central opening with a plurality of ends in each mass,compressing and setting the coiled masses into packages about 20% to 26%of their original height without substantial increase in their diameter,and spinning said roving into yarn with a draft of about 25 to 600, asrequired to produce the yarn count desired.

3. The process of making yarn which comprises blending natural andsynthetic fibers of varied lengths and forming the blended fibers intosliver, collecting the sliver into masses of coils each arranged arounda central opening, compressing and setting the coiled masses intopackages about 20 to 26% of their original height Without substantialincrease in their diameter, reducing the sliver in one draftingoperation to the condition of untwisted substantially constant weightroving, coiling said roving in masses of coils each arranged around acentral opening with a plurality of ends in each mass, compressing andsetting the coiled masses into packages about 20% to 26% of theiroriginal height without substantial increase in their diameter, andspinning said roving into yarn with a draft of about 25 to 600, asrequired to produce the yarn count desired.

4. The process of making yarn which comprises blending natural andsynthetic fibers of varied lengths and forming the blended fibers intosliver, collecting the sliver into masses of coils each arranged arounda central opening, compressing and setting the coiled masses intopackages about 20 to 26% of their original height without substantialincrease in their diameter, dyeing the packages, reducing the sliver inone drafting operation to the condition of untwisted substantiallyconstant weight roving, coiling said roving in masses of coils eacharranged around a central opening with a plurality of ends in each mass,compressing and setting the coiled masses into packages about 20% to 26%of their original height without substantial increase in their diameter,and spinning said roving into yarn with a draft of about 25 to 600, asrequired to produce the yarn count desired.

5. The process of making yarn which comprises forming fibers intosliver, collecting the sliver into masses of coils each arranged arounda central opening, compressing and setting the coiled masses intopackages about 20 to 26% of their original height Without substantialincrease in their diameter, dyeing the packages, reducing the sliver inone drafting operation to the condition of untwisted substantiallyconstant weight roving, coiling said roving in masses of coils eacharranged around a central opening with a plurality of ends in each mass,and spinning said roving into yarn with a draft of about 25 to 600, asrequired to produce the yarn count desired.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS687,573 Phillips Nov. 26, 1901 2,181,777 Asbelle Nov. 28, 1939 2,228,963McGinnis Jan. 14, 1941 2,478,960 Wilkie Aug. 16, 1949 2,621,372 WilkieDec. 12, 1952 2,707,806 Wilkie May 10, 1955' FOREIGN PATENTS 402,314Great Britain Nov. 30, 1933

